Robert Kersey
Club President 2019-20
During my entire life God has blessed me; good health, great family, a career in education that allowed the opportunity to meet thousands of wonderful young people, and now the opportunity to work with a Rotary club dedicated to their community and the ever-changing world in which we live.
Rotary has allowed me to give of time and talent to an organization with a strong history of fighting against disease, hunger, exploitation, social and economic injustice.
My philosophy is very simple; you cannot cure all the problems in the world with money – you can give someone food or you can teach them to grow their own food. It’s good to help others improve their place in life. Service projects that connect with families teach everyone values for a lifetime.
I believe for rotary to continue to grow we need to use innovation and creative measures-Rotaract Clubs, corporate memberships, community projects, flexibility in club dues, recruitment activities and membership activities.
I have been our Club’s shoe drive person for five years and have seen great commitment from Rotarians from other Clubs. Larry Lunsford has become a great inspiration for many Rotarians.
This year our Club along with some wonderful help from Park University has started a Rotaract Club. It is very exciting to see young leaders continue to develop their skills.
I feel the members of the Parkville Rotary Club have become my second family. The members are either retired or current professionals with strong work ethics and compassion for others. I feel blessed to know the individuals in our Club!
Rotary has allowed me to give of time and talent to an organization with a strong history of fighting against disease, hunger, exploitation, social and economic injustice.
My philosophy is very simple; you cannot cure all the problems in the world with money – you can give someone food or you can teach them to grow their own food. It’s good to help others improve their place in life. Service projects that connect with families teach everyone values for a lifetime.
I believe for rotary to continue to grow we need to use innovation and creative measures-Rotaract Clubs, corporate memberships, community projects, flexibility in club dues, recruitment activities and membership activities.
I have been our Club’s shoe drive person for five years and have seen great commitment from Rotarians from other Clubs. Larry Lunsford has become a great inspiration for many Rotarians.
This year our Club along with some wonderful help from Park University has started a Rotaract Club. It is very exciting to see young leaders continue to develop their skills.
I feel the members of the Parkville Rotary Club have become my second family. The members are either retired or current professionals with strong work ethics and compassion for others. I feel blessed to know the individuals in our Club!
Mark Daniel Maloney
Rotary International President 2019-20
Rotary International President-elect Mark Daniel Maloney explained his vision for building a stronger Rotary, calling on leaders to expand connections to their communities and to embrace innovative membership models.
RI President-elect Mark Daniel Maloney announces the 2019-20 presidential theme, Rotary Connects the World, to incoming district governors in San Diego, California, USA. See video of his speech.
Maloney, a member of the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA, unveiled the 2019-20 presidential theme, Rotary Connects the World, to incoming district governors at Rotary’s annual training event, the International Assembly, in San Diego, California, USA, on Monday.
“The first emphasis is to grow Rotary — to grow our service, to grow the impact of our projects, but most importantly, to grow our membership so that we can achieve more,” Maloney said.
Maloney believes that connection is at the heart of the Rotary experience.
“(Rotary) allows us to connect with each other, in deep and meaningful ways, across our differences,” Maloney said. “It connects us to people we would never otherwise have met, who are more like us than we ever could have known. It connects us to our communities, to professional opportunities, and to the people who need our help.”
Maloney also called on every Rotary and Rotaract club to identify segments of their community not represented in their club by creating a membership committee with diverse members.
“Through Rotary, we connect to the incredible diversity of humanity on a truly unique footing, forging deep and lasting ties in pursuit of a common goal,” he added. “In this ever more divided world, Rotary connects us all.”
Maloney urged leaders to offer alternative meeting experiences and service opportunities to make it easier for busy professionals and people with many family obligations to serve in leadership roles.
“We need to foster a culture where Rotary does not compete with the family, but rather complements it,” Maloney said. “That means taking real, practical steps to change the existing culture: being realistic in our expectations, considerate in our scheduling, and welcoming of children at Rotary events on every level.”
Maloney said many of the barriers that prevent people from serving as leaders in Rotary are based on expectations that are no longer relevant.
“It is time to adapt, to change our culture, and to convey the message that you can be a great district governor without visiting every club individually, and a great president without doing everything yourself.”
Relationship with the United Nations
During 2019-20, Rotary will host a series of presidential conferences around the world, focusing on Rotary’s relationship with the United Nations and the UN’s sustainable development goals that many Rotary service projects support. More information will be available in July.
In 2020, the United Nations will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its charter and its mission of promoting peace. Rotary was one of 42 organizations the United States invited to serve as consultants to its delegation at the 1945 San Francisco conference, which led to the UN’s charter. For decades, Rotary has worked alongside the United Nations to address humanitarian issues around the world. Today, Rotary holds the highest consultative status that the UN offers to nongovernmental organizations.
“Rotary shares the United Nations’ enduring commitment to a healthier, more peaceful, and more sustainable world,” Maloney said. “And Rotary offers something no other organization can match: an existing infrastructure that allows people from all over the world to connect in a spirit of service and peace and take meaningful action toward that goal.”